Whatever surface you want to paint, there are two basic types of paint to be aware of – water-based paints and solvent-based paints.

Water-based paints
As implied, these are made using water, are often wallpaints, (commonly referred to as "emulsion paints"). They are generally quick-drying, have a low odour and tend to be more environmentally compatible. Whilst known for use in interior wall and ceiling paints, today’s advances in technology mean water-based products are also suitable for use on wood and metal surfaces. When painting outside, "breatheable" emulsion paints (allow moisture vapour to pass); and give fewer blistering and peeling problems. Take care to apply paint when it is not too hot or too cold to get the best results. During the clean-up stage of painting, brushes and rollers can be easily cleaned with soap and water.

Solvent-based paints
Commonly used to refer to both oil and alkyd based paints, these provide a very hard smooth finish, but tend to embrittle and crack over time. Not as environmentally friendly as water-based paints, are slower to dry and give off more odour. They are more often to be found in gloss paints due to their good adhesion properties, however they are not suitable for use on galvanised metals or fresh masonry. When cleaning your brushes after having used a solvent based paint, you need to use white spirits or turpentine.